Molinia plant named ‘Crystal Veil’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Molinia , ‘Crystal Veil’, that is characterized by its tall plant height of 200 cm and flower spikes that are fine in texture.

Botanical classification: Molinia litoralis.

Varietal denomination: ‘Crystal Veil’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Molinialitoralis and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘Crystal Veil’. ‘Crystal Veil’ represents a new cultivar of herbaceousperennial, an ornamental grass grown for landscape use.

The Inventor discovered the new cultivar, ‘Crystal Veil’, as a chanceseedling in the Inventors garden in Hummelo, Netherlands in the summerof 2010. Although the parentage is unknown, Molinia litoralis‘Transparent’ (not patented) is thought to be a likely parent based onthe characteristics of ‘Crystal Veil’ and its proximity in the samegrowing area.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished bydivision in Hummelo, Netherlands in 2012 by the Inventor. Asexualpropagation by division has determined that the characteristics of thenew cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Crystal Veil’ as a unique cultivar of Molinia.

-   -   1. ‘Crystal Veil’ exhibits a plant height of 200 cm.    -   2. ‘Crystal Veil’ exhibits flower spikes that are fine in        texture (finer than is typical of plants of Molinia litoralis.

‘Crystal Veil’ can be most closely compared to cultivars, Molinialitoralis ‘Transparent’ (not patented) and Molinia litoralis ‘Skyracer’(not patented). ‘Transparent’ differs from ‘Crystal Veil’ in havingflower spikes that are larger in size and finer in texture and in havinga taller and more arching plant habit. ‘Skyracer’ differs from ‘CrystalVeil’ in having a taller plant height and in having a more upright planthabit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photograph were taken in October and illustrate thecharacteristics of 4 year-old plants as grown in a garden in Hummelo,Netherlands. The photograph 1 provides a side view of ‘Crystal Veil’.The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digitalphotography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Molinia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of one-year-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown in two-gallon containers in Rougemont, N.C. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—August to September in The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial grass.        -   Plant habit.—Low clump of foliage with tall flowering spikes            held upright and slightly cascading.        -   Height and spread.—Reached an average of 200 cm in height            and 50 cm in spread.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 4.        -   Diseases.—No resistance to susceptibility to diseases has            been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine, 161D in color.        -   Propagation.—Division.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.-   Culm (stem) description:    -   -   General.—Slightly oval, solid pith, thin but strong, erect.        -   Culm number.—An average of 9 flowering culms and 16 shorter            none flowering culms in a 2-gallon container, forming tight            clump.        -   Culm color.—137D in summer, 161D in fall and winter.        -   Culm size.—Average of 2 mm in diameter, averaging 100 cm in            height from the base to the tip of the flower panicle and an            average of 3 cm on non-flowering culms.        -   Culm surface.—Glabrous.        -   Internode length.—An average of 4 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrowly lanceolate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf margin.—Entire.        -   Leaf base.—Sheathed to base of culm.        -   Leaf apex.—Sharply attenuate.        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, not distinguishable in color from            leaf.        -   Leaf width.—Average of 1 cm at widest section.        -   Leaf length.—Blade; an average of 30 cm, sheathed portion; 8            to 15 cm.        -   Leaves per culm.—Average of 3 on flowering culms, average of            4 on non-flowering culms.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous and dull on both surfaces.        -   Ligule.—0.5 mm in width, comprised of a moderate amount of            soft hairs about 1.5 mm in length and NN155C in color on            inner surface.        -   Leaf color (both surfaces).—Summer; 137C, fall and winter            161B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Airy panicle of racemes at terminus of            stem, primarily symmetrical.        -   Inflorescence size.—Panicle; an average of 35 cm in length            and 13 cm in width, racemes; an average of 8 cm in length            and 3 cm in width.        -   Spikelet description.—Average of 150 per panicle, awnless,            glumes; 2 mm in length and width, 145C in color with stripes            of 137B, convex, glabrous surface, lemmas; 2, 3.5 mm in            length and 1.5 mm in width, convex, glabrous surface, 145D            in color with stripes of 137B, palea; 4 mm in length and 1.5            mm in width, a blend of 145D and 155B in color, convex,            glabrous surface.        -   Spikelet size.—About 4 mm in length and 2 mm in width            (excluding reproductive organs).        -   Rachis.—An average of 54 cm from last leaf, panicle portion            an average of 35 cm in length and 1 to 2 mm in width with            branches an average of 6.5 cm in length and 0.5 mm in width,            glabrous surface, 137D in color, spikelet pedicel an average            of 4 mm in length, wiry, 137D in color, glabrous surface,            internode length of racemes ranges from 7 mm to 5 cm.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Anthers; 3, 2.5 mm in length and 1 mm in width,            162C in color, longitudinal dehiscence, very fine filament            155B in color, pollen; none observed.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 2 plumose stigmas on short, fine            styles about 0.3 mm in length and 145D in color, stigma; 84B            in color, 1.5 mm in length and 1 mm in width, ovary;            1-locular, superior, elliptic in shape, 1 mm in length, 145D            in color.        -   Caryopsis.—An average of 4 mm in length and about 1.5 in            width, a blend of 165A and 165C in color.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Molinia plant named‘Crystal Veil’ as herein illustrated and described.